Stirling Murray
With more than 35 years’ experience of building business and brands in the global beauty industry Stirling runs The Red Tree, a leading international beauty brand consultancy.
The Red Tree works with a wide range of international businesses and provides solutions in creating and implementing long term strategy and vision, getting brands RaceFit fit for market, developing new products, international expansion, and brand and marketing strategies
The Red Tree also manages brands on behalf of international brand owners providing an alternative to the classic distribution or subsidiary business model. The Red Tree becomes a brand's informal subsidiary but without attendant legal and tax issues and can provide account management, regular contact at store and salon level, employ staff, arrange logistics, PR, and in-store training.
The Red Tree's unique getting- ready-for- market programme - "RaceFit" - helps move brands to the point where they can enter into UK and international markets.
Stirling is the founder of The Beauty Symposium a fast moving seminar bringing "Fresh Thinking to the Beauty Business" with an eclectic and highly experienced mix of speakers. .
Has floated a business on AIM, and completed a multi-million acquisition.
Former guest lecturer in Marketing at the London College of Fashion,past member of its Industry Advisory Panel
Corporate experience includes UK and international board roles with Rimmel, Lauder and Bourjois.
Samuel Cheney
Samuel Cheney is Founder of New Order Cosmetics, a full scope brand agency bringing together an agile team of industry specialists across; Product; Sales; Operations; Marketing and Communications to propose a dynamic consultancy solution for early-stage, high-growth beauty brands. Having worked with BEAST. ‘The Men’s Beauty Store’ since 2018, Samuel is responsible for the on and offline retail concept, operations and buying as well as strategic partnerships, most recently with The Frasers Group, Esquire Magazine and Skin Match Technology.
Millie Kendall
During her career as a retail maven and brand creator Millie Kendall has been instrumental in the success of cult brands including Shu Uemura, Aveda, Tweezerman and L’Occitane. In 1997 she founded and created makeup brand, Ruby & Millie cosmetics and was awarded an MBE in 2007 for services to the cosmetics industry. In 2018 she co-founded the British Beauty Council, a non-profit organisation that aims to support a successful, innovative, and inclusive British beauty industry.
Meredith C. Kerekes
Experienced and entrepreneurial executive with demonstrative results in all aspects of marketing functions from Fortune 50 companies to early-stage startups. Specific focus on brand development, customer experience, market segmentation, and integrated marketing. Professional experience spans nearly fifteen years across the US and EMEA. Strong background in operations and sales; as well as evaluation and financial management. Industry focus in beauty, luxury goods, and retail.
Gesa Geissel
Gesa Geissel joined Henkel in 2006 and built her broad experience in various national and international positions in strategic marketing and category management in Germany and China. In her last role she was part of the global digital marketing team for Beauty Care, where she was responsible with her team for all aspects of digital content and campaigns including social media and influencer marketing.
Ernesto Schmitt
Affectionately called Ernie by his mum and work colleagues, Ernesto has led the charge of disruptive digital innovation since the time Mattel’s Barbie Doll turned 40.
He’s created multiple digital disruptors and sold three, and he speaks with an arresting combination of Prussian charm and Uruguayan discipline about digitally-activated brands and storytelling. Ernesto runs the Craftory.
Emilie Spire
Emilie is an Associate at Felix Capital.
Over the past 2 years, she has grown from Corporate Development Associate to Operations Project Manager at BlaBlaCar, a global long distance carpooling platform. She entered the tech world as Associate at Partech Ventures, a VC firm based in Paris.
Prior to deep diving into startups, Emilie worked as a financial consultant at Ernst & Young. During her studies she held several internships in Private Equity and Venture Capital firms in Paris and Amsterdam.
A graduate of University Paris Dauphine, Emilie is fluent in English, French and Spanish.
Elena Fernandez-Kleinlein
Camille Kriebitzsch
Camille is Principal at Eutopia, having co-founded Otium Brands in 2015. Prior to this, she worked as a business developer for Birchbox and an analyst for Alexandalexa, two pioneer startups in the beauty and childrenswear sectors, as well as at Ernst & Young where she was mostly focused on the LVMH account. She holds a Masters degree in Management from ESCP Europe. Curious and open-minded, Camille keeps an edge over the ever-changing market trends. Known as the external-hard drive of the team, her memory is second to none, as is her attention to detail and people. When she’s not listening to an entrepreneur’s pitch, reviewing a budget or writing an article, you’ll find her at a Dynamo spinning class or nomming away in one of Paris’ latest pop-up restaurants.